Blatter: "I am not ashamed - I will fight!"

21 December 2015

Sepp Blatter says he will fight to clear his name.

The outgoing FIFA president has been banned by the FIFA Ethics Committee from all football related activity for eight years along with UEFA President, Michel Platini. Both men have been banned over a €1.8m payment authorised by Blatter to Platini back in 2011. The Committee couldn't find that the payment was corrupt but concluded that Blatter had breached rules of conduct.

He's now challenging the legality of the ruling claiming that the Ethics Committee doesn't have the right to ban him: "I will fight. I will fight for me and I will fight for FIFA. Suspended eight years for what?

"I am not ashamed. I regret but I am not ashamed. I am ashamed about the committee's decision - and that they don't go to the evidence. I tell you they have no right to go against the president. The president of FIFA can only be relieved of his activities by the FIFA congress.

"At the next congress, on the 27th February, before the election of the new president, even suspended I am president and the president must be first relieved of his duties otherwise you cannot elect a new president.#

"I am a man of principles. I am not ashamed. I repeat: Never take money you have not earned, pay your debts. Now they are telling me that I tried to buy through Michel Platini, votes for the 2011 elections. No."